Mitchell Pearce to head to Newcastle to hear Knights’ pitch — and likely big-money offer
AFTER hit-and-run meetings with Manly and Cronulla, Mitchell Pearce will meet with Newcastle coach Nathan Brown on Friday to hear what could be his biggest offer yet.
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AFTER having his heart broken by the Roosters, Newcastle coach Nathan Brown will today use rugby league’s most loyal supporters in a sales pitch hoping to convince Mitchell Pearce why it’s time to leave Sydney.
Backing up from hit-and-run meetings with both Manly and Cronulla on Thursday, The Daily Telegraph has learned Pearce will make a trip north on Friday to meet with Brown and Knights’ powerbrokers.
Brown would not confirm details when contacted but conceded: “We are certainly interested in having a chat and explain where we are at and where we are looking to head.”
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There is no question the Sea Eagles are in the box seat in the race to sign the 28-year-old playmaker, with Cronulla currently the most likely challenger given Pearce’s apparent reluctance to leave Sydney.
But neither club can get even close to the money the Knights are prepared to pay.
With almost $2 million still remaining in their salary cap for 2018, Brown will be armed with a whopping three-year offer, understood to be in the vicinity of $1.2 million-a-season.
But perhaps even greater than the financial incentive will be the message Brown sells about the club’s loyal legion of fans.
“Mitchell can come to Newcastle and be Mitchell and the town will support him,” Brown told The Daily Telegraph.
“People will support him for who he is and what he is. He doesn’t have to be anyone he is not up here.”
Club legend Matty Johns has also offered a similar message, declaring Newcastle will “embrace” the game’s most maligned playmaker.
“To actually sign at a club like Newcastle where everyone watches and says they know what a difference he will make, I think people will go ‘good on you, mate’,” Johns told Triple M.
A move to the Knights would also reunite Pearce with former Roosters teammates Aidan Guerra, Connor Watson and Shaun Kenny-Dowall.
All three have spoken about their desire for Pearce to join them, where he would add valuable experience to what’s shaping up to be the NRL’s youngest spine.
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Between them, Kalyn Ponga, Watson, Brock Lamb and Danny Levi have a combined total of 120 top grade matches, about half the game’s Pearce played during his 11 seasons at the Roosters.
But following the sale to the powerful Wests Group, Newcastle has never been in a stronger financial position, and Brown believes their recent recruitment drive has them ready to climb the ladder.
“This time 18 months ago it would be hard to say to someone we have these X, Y and Zs coming. Now, with the people we have signed, we are showing where the club is heading,” Brown said.
“Some of the younger players showed great improvement last year and we think they will show even more improvement next year.
“And our side will improve not only because of the good players we have brought in but also because from our own young players improving.”